Seabreeze Girls Blank Powerful Bishop Moore

February 5, 2000|By Buddy Collings of The Sentinel Staff

DAYTONA BEACH -- Top-ranked Seabreeze took its first big step toward the state girls soccer tournament Friday, using two goals by Gayle Toth and dominant midfield play to beat perennial power Bishop Moore 2-0 for the Class 2A, District 7 championship at Municipal Stadium.

But Sandcrabs Coach Uwe Baldwin figures his undefeated team won't get to travel much farther down the road to Tampa before seeing the Hornets again.

``If we get to the regional final, we're going to meet them,'' Baldwin said. ``They're a very dangerous team, and it's just a toss-up.''

Seabreeze (26-0-2) had the edge Friday because juniors Jana Brauer and Stefanie Buckholt effectively patrolled the middle, snuffing the ability of the Hornets (13-7-6) to get offensive chances.

``What Seabreeze does so well is step in and win the 50-50 balls, and the punts and goal kicks,'' said Bishop Moore Coach Greg Brick, whose 1998 team beat the Sandcrabs for its most recent of four state titles. "They've beaten us that way three times.''

Actually, the Hornets are 0-2-1 against the Sandcrabs, having played Seabreeze to a 1-1 tie in December before losing 3-2 last month in a game that was tied 77 minutes in. Bishop Moore had gone 9-0-2 since that defeat, but Friday's result ended that streak and the Hornets' seven-year run of district championships.

Seabreeze has won eight district crowns in nine years but is chasing its first state title.

The next step for the Sandcrabs will be at Municipal Stadium on Tuesday against District 8 runner-up Winter Haven.

Toth gave Seabreeze a 1-0 lead 37 minutes into Friday's game, taking a free kick and curling a 25-yard cross into the upper right corner of the goal.

She added a penalty kick goal with 25:34 remaining after Brauer was taken down in the box.

If both Seabreeze and Bishop Moore win two regional tournament matches, they would return to Daytona Beach in two weeks to play for the Region 2 title and a ticket to the state tournament Feb. 24-25 in Tampa.